From the Erasmus exchange, I gained not only knowledge about the Erasmus program, youthpasses, and mobility but also the ability to work in a team and build intercultural relationships, along with new communication and digital skills.
I learned how to organise intercultural activities, create presentations using tools like Canva and Adobe Express, as well as manage Office 365. Additionally, I got acquainted with many tools helpful in this process. I had the opportunity to attend a lecture by PowerPoint and Excel specialists, which took place at the University of Kaunas. During the exchange, I met fantastic people from different countries, which was both inspiring and educational. I was surprised by the culinary diversity and the charms of the places we visited, as well as the laws in Lithuania (among other things) . Did you know that in Lithuania you can buy energy drinks from the age of 18? In Poland, this law is just being introduced, but in Lithuania, such rules have been in place for a long time. The cuisine was delicious (I am a vegetarian, and there was plenty to eat :)), and the local people were welcoming to me. The organisers from LEVEL UP took care of our needs, providing advice and support. Initially, the biggest barrier was the age difference among participants; some were 15 years old, others 25 (I was 20), which made it difficult for me to get along with the younger ones at first, but I quickly dealt with it, and the project also taught me how to collaborate with them. I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this project and for the new friendships I made and the skills I acquired. The funniest situation was when a friend from Macedonia was called the “nutrition guy” because he would eat 6 eggs and drink a carton of milk every day. There have been many funny jokes about this (of course, he didn’t mind them and laughed with us, at the same time explaining that it was a healthy diet and that eggs are “the most nutritious food in the world”). I would like to thank all the exchange participants and organisers for the wonderful experience and Tomek from LEVEL UP for his support at every stage of the project.
I encourage participation in mobilities carried out within the framework of non-formal education because international trips are a wonderful opportunity for personal development, learning about new cultures, and making friendships worldwide. It is an unforgettable and broadening horizons experience.
I highly recommend such trips to all my peers. This is an opportunity not to miss.
Wiktoria, 20 years old, Digital Age, youth exchange, Lithuania, Kaunas
During the project, I had the chance to learn many interesting and useful things that undoubtedly make our daily work on the computer easier.
I learned how to create presentations using Canva and discovered many interesting tools that are very useful while working with PowerPoint or Word. I met many great people with whom I enjoyed spending my free time. Lithuanian cuisine was really good, I can truly recommend it. There were moments when we had problems with the organisation of our activities, i.e. during exercises with Microsoft Excel when we did not have access to the program due to a lack of licences on the university computers. Another barrier during the exchange was the age range of the participants. There were quite a few very young people with whom I could not always communicate as freely as with my peers. The funniest moments were during the reading of the “Gossip box,” which contained anonymous messages written by participants of the exchange. I am grateful to all the participants for the work and commitment they put into the project. I would like to thank the LEVEL UP organisation for selecting me for the project and Tomek for his help before and during the project.
I encourage participation in mobilities carried out within the framework of non-formal education because it is a great opportunity to meet people from other countries, improve your language skills, and enhance your digital skills.
Michał, 24 years old, Digital Age, youth exchange, Lithuania, Kaunas
An interesting project, which helped me discover several applications and websites that make computer work easier, and I also met many interesting people from various countries.
There were some surprises—for example, it turned out that in Lithuania, energy drinks are sold only to those over the age of eighteen, and alcohol to those over twenty. Additionally, the entire country enforces prohibition from 8 PM from Monday to Saturday, and on Sundays, alcohol sales stopped at 3 PM. It is both interesting and strange at the same time. I had the chance to get a taste of Lithuanian delicacy: fried bread with garlic, mayonnaise, and cheese. It might not sound mouthwateringly, but it’s really delicious! A small barrier was the age of the participants; some were barely fifteen years old, while others had already graduated from the university. Despite this, I found the experience enriching and not particularly problematic. Sometimes funny situations occurred related to the different meanings of the same words. The popular English expression “goat,” which stands for “greatest of all times,” caused laughter among the Lithuanians, as it turned out that “goat” in Lithuanian slang refers to an informer or snitch. In conclusion, I want to thank Tomek from LEVEL UP for his continuous support and involvement throughout the project.
I encourage participation in mobilities carried out within the framework of non-formal education because it provides a unique opportunity to broaden your horizons and perspectives, enables quick improvement in your English communication skills, and allows you to meet many interesting people from all over Europe.
Melchior, 25 years old, Digital Age, youth exchange, Lithuania, Kaunas
This project was another inspiring adventure for me, as I have already participated in several youth exchanges.
I was very interested in the theme of this project, and every day I learned new things and tips from the digital world. I discovered the convenient application Notion for taking online notes which significantly facilitated my daily work. We had training sessions with specialists in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, during which I learned useful tips that I will definitely use in the future. I also expanded my skills in using Canva. and learned how to record podcasts correctly, what to pay attention to during the process, and I got the knowledge about the CapCut application allowing video editing. I am also grateful for the opportunity to conduct workshops on the Canva application, as I learned in practice what to focus on while running the workshops for others. This was an enriching experience both in terms of developing soft skills and gaining knowledge useful for everyday work on a computer or smartphone. During the project, I met about 40 young people from different countries, backgrounds, and of different ages. The biggest barrier for me was establishing contact with people even 9 years younger but this taught me to be more open. The dishes served to us were very tasty, and the best dish for me was definitely Lithuanian cold soup.
I’d like to thank Tomek from LEVEL UP for the opportunity to participate, his openness, his help during the preparations, and at the time of the project itself.
I encourage you to participate in mobilities carried out within the framework of non-formal education because it is a great opportunity to develop your soft skills, broaden your horizons and knowledge about other countries, and, through meeting people from diverse backgrounds, get inspiration to make positive changes in your own life.
Kasia, 24 years old, Digital Age, youth exchange, Lithuania, Kaunas
Digital Age was for me a refreshing experience with the Erasmus + projects.
The group got to know each other upon arrival and it was a wonderful experience to meet such a team of participants.
Thanks to integration activities, various energizers, and serious sessions, we fell in love with diversity and each other so much. The classes in the field of PowerPoint, Excel, SharePoint, Microsoft Office 365, and Yammer were very interesting. Making new friendships and having the opportunity to keep in touch with everyone is truly priceless. We have created some common dreams and will work on making them come true. We are the future, and through this project, we have gained a lot of knowledge that will help us make the future brighter. Additionally, the accommodation in the very centre was a huge attraction. I still remember Lithuanian food. I returned home as a new person with unforgettable memories, lifelong friendships, and a changed mindset. Finally, I would like to thank Tomek from LEVEL UP for all his help throughout the project.
I encourage you to participate in mobilities carried out within the framework of non-formal education. It is an extraordinary opportunity to broaden your horizons and perspectives. It is a great chance to improve your English communication skills and meet many fascinating people from different nooks of Europe and beyond.
Dominik, 18 years old, Digital Age, youth exchange, Lithuania, Kaunas
The project was great.
It was my first youth exchange, so I have nothing to compare it to, but other participants mentioned that the living conditions were much better than in the case of other projects.
As for the food, I can say it was delicious. The chefs adapted the menu based on participants’ preferences but made sure to still serve them traditional and healthy food. You could also help yourself with an extra portion without hesitation.
The project program was packed with activities which I liked because I could learn more. On a few occasions, a lot of time was spent on one activity, and it was a bit boring.
I am satisfied with the initial fee of the sending organisation. They held our hands from start to finish, asked for feedback about the project, and helped with organisational matters.
The project participants were also great. Very energetic and communicative, though the problem was the age difference, as the youngest member was 15 and the oldest was 26. It was not always interesting to communicate with the younger ones. Also, the large difference in the level of knowledge which means that lectures had to be tailored to everyone
The city was fantastic, with many beautiful places, museums, parks, and funny locals.
I encourage everyone to participate in mobilities carried out within the framework of non-formal education because you can step outside your comfort zone, meet new people, and experience new cultures, as well as improve your English, soft skills, and learn independence and problem-solving. The most important thing you can get to learn about technology.
Artyom, 20 years old, Digital Age, youth exchange, Lithuania, Kaunas